Nonmetallic fibrous abrasive wad and method of producing same



Aug. 17, 1943. c. R. LOEFFLER NON-METALLIC FIBROUS ABRASIVE WAD AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed June 9, 1942 INVENTOR. ralzcejfilarfiaqfi'lezj ATTORNEY.

67a BY Spa.

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 N ONMETALLIC FIBROUS ABRASIVE WAD AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Clarence Robert Loeiller, Newark, N. J., assignor to Downy Products Company, Orange, N. J., a corporation of New J crscy Application June 9, 1942, Serial No. 446,344

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fibrous abrasive wads and method of producing the same.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel non-metallic fibrous abrasive ward and method of producing the same, whereby the wad possesses high scouring and cleansing efiiciency, substantially similar in action and effect to that obtained by steel wool wads, and thus being especially well adapted for service as a pot and pan scraper, as well as for general cleansing and polishing operations requiring abrasive action.

Thi invention has for another object to provide a novel method of incorporating a pulverulent abrasive and binder mix with at least and preferably the outlying portions of a body or wad of non-metallic fibrous material, and then shaping the body or wad to a desired symmetrical form, and finally fixing and consolidating the abrasive-binder mix with the fibrous mass so as to substantially assure maintenance of the shaped character of the wad, as well as to render the same reasonably resistant to too rapid disintegration in use, and consequently not only providing a wad of efiicient abrasive characteristics, but also one of reasonably long useful life.

Another object of this invention is to provide an abrasive wad of the eneral character above referred to, but one wherein the abrasive charged outlying portions of its fibrous mass are cushioned by an internal substantially abrasive free internal fibrous mass or core, so that, when pressing and running its abrasive charged portions against and over a surface to be scoured, cleansed or polished thereby, said latter portions will be so cushioned as to make efifective but not too harsh rubbing contact with said surface.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Certain steps in the method of producing fibrous abrasive wads and the resultant wad structure are schematically shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a mass of non-metallic fibrous material ready for application of a pulverulent abrasive binder mix thereto; Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the mass of non-metallic fibrous material after the application of the pulverulent binder mix thereto; Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the abrasive binder treated fibrous mass in the process of being molded or pressed to the ultimate shape desired; and Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the shaped abrasive binder treated fibrous mass after baking to set the same against undue deformation.

In making up the non-metallic fibrous abrasive wad according to this invention, an irregular mass of non-metallic fibrous material A is pro,- vided (see Fig. l); the fibers of which are entangled; the bulk of such mass being suitably sized to furnish that quantity of fibers calculated to produce an ultimate wad of desired selected size.

The fibrous material may suitably comprise that derived from various vegetable or animal sources which provides filaments of substantial length and form adapted to readily entangl together into a more or less loosely matted and compacted mass. For example, fibrous material such as textile waste sis alwasteai igwaste wool waste or the likefhaving reasonably long entangled filaments, may be utilized. It has been found that a very satisfactory fibrous material for the intended purpose is afforded by jute waste. The fibers or filaments of jute waste are of substantial length and readily entangle into a mass having a desired degree of stability, and yet affording a resultant body which is open enough in texture to admit of reception, to a desired degree of penetration, of an abrasive binder mix for incorporation therewith and therein. Furthermore, the jute fibers or filaments are reasonably tough; i. e. possess a degree of tensile strength which is calculated to sufiiciently resist breaking, so that the mass thereof is reasonably stable against too rapid disintegration after being loaded with the abrasive binder mix and finished into the ultimate abrasive wad, and when said wad is subjected to the use it is designed to serve.

Having provided a body A of fibrous material of suitable size, the next step is to apply thereto, for incorporation therewith and therein, a pulverulent abrasive binder mix. The abrasive constituent of such mix may suitably comprise any desired form of pulverulent abrasive grain,

such e. g. as powdered pumice stone, emery, ear Thel binder constituent of the abrasive-binder mix borundum, rottenstone, silica or the like.

may suitably comprise an adhesive substance adapted to harden and become water insoluble under heat, but initially being capable of reduction to solution form by a volatile solvent. Preferably solutions of synthetic resins or resin: old substances, or lacquers containing such resins, resinoids or similar substances, or lacquers of other composition which harden and become Water insoluble, provide a satisfactory binder agent. The pulverulent abrasive is thoroughly mixed into the binder solution so as to be evenly disposed therethrough; the relative proportions, of abrasive and binder solution being such as to provide good fiowability as to the resultant mixture.

Having prepared the abrasive-binder mix, the same is applied to the body A of fibrous material. This is preferably done by spraying the former onto the latter by means of a spray gun, air brush or similar operation; although rolling or dipping the exterior surfaces of the body A in the abrasive-binder mix may in some instances be resorted to. The spraying operation is, however, deemed the more satisfactory method of application, since the forced flow of the sprayed mix permits the latter to quickly penetrate the body A to a substantial depth; the depth of penetration being subject to control by modifying the force of the spray or by varying the length of time of sprayed application. As a result of the operation, the body A of fibrous material is provided with an external zone B of desirably predetermined depth comprising it outlying portions, which is charged with the abrasive-binder mix, but so as to preferably leave a central elastic core C of fibrous material substantially free of abrasive (see Fig. 2).

After the fibrous body A has received the application of abrasive-binder mix, whereby to form the external abrasive charged zone B, the body is racked for partial drying. The period and conditions of this drying is such as to permit some of the solvent in the applied abrasivebinder mix to evaporate, until the applied mix attains a tacky and comparatively soft and workable condition. Such partial drying is preferably carried on as an air drying operation at room temperature.

After the described partial drying is completed, the body A with its applied abrasive-binder mix B is ready for compression or molding into the symmetrical shape desired to be given to the finished wad. This, illustratively, may be done by depositing the body in the cavity of a mold or press [0 provided with a compression plunger ll, whereby to compact and shape the body (see Fig. 3). The mold may be cold or moderately heated, but preferably the former.

After the body A with its applied abrasivebinder mix has been thus shaped, the same is finally submitted to a baking operation at an oven temperature sufficiently high to drive 011 any remaining solvent of the abrasive-binder mix, and thereupon set and render insoluble the binder constituent. The thus hardened and insoluble binder strongly adheres the abrasive grain to filaments of fibrous material, and yet leaves the mass of abrasive coated filaments in the outlying zone B of the body mass still of somewhat open or porous texture, and such zone sulficiently resilient to substantially conform its exterior face to a surface to which the wad is applied and over which it is rubbed for securing effect in use.

In the preferred form of finished wad (illustratively shown in Fig. 4), the abrasive charged outlying zone B surrounds and is internally backed by the elastic cushioning section of core C which is substantially free of abrasive, and consequently the conformability of the Wad to surfaces treated thereby in use is not only further assured, but also pressure and rubbing contact of abrasive charged zone is substantially equalized and prevented from being unduly harsh.

It has been found that the abrasive according to this invention has much the same abrading effect in use as has a wad of steel wool, and, in fact, may even be given the appearance of steel wool, if a grey or steel color pigment is added to the abrasive-binder mix applied thereto. The wad produced by the method and embodying the structural features according to this invention is Well adapted to cleansing and polishing uses for which steel wool has heretofore been utilized, and is well adapted for household cleaning and scouring operations, especially such as the scouring of pots, pans and other kitchen utensils.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of producing abrasive wads which comprises roughly shaping a substantially non-compacted body of non-metallic fibrous material formed by entangled filaments of substantial length, applying to outlying portions of said body a pulverulent abrasive mixed with a liquid binder to form an abrasive-binder mix adapted to penetrate the surface sections of said body to a substantial depth and coat the fibrous filaments thereof but leaving an interior soft elastic core within said body substantially free of abrasivebinder mix, said binder being adapted to harden and become insoluble under heat, partially drying the body thus treated to reduce the binder to a tacky condition, then molding said body to an ultimately desired shape, and finally baking the molded body to set and render the binder insoluble and thereby afiix the abrasive to the fibrous body filaments.

2. An abrasive wad comprising a body of a nonmetallic fibrous material formed by entangled filaments of substantial length, outlying portions only of said body being penetrated to a substantial depth by a quantity of pulverulent abrasive mixed with a binder adapted to coat the fibrous filaments of said outlying portions while leaving an interior portion of the body substantially free of the abrasive-binder mixture whereby to form a central elastic core portion which backs said outlying abrasive charged portions of the body, said body being molded to shape, and said binder being hardened and rendered insoluble by heat whereby to afllx the abrasive to outlying body filaments, the thus coated filaments forming an external abrasive mass of substantially open texture surrounding said central elastic core portion.

CLARENCE ROBERT LOEFFLER. 

